


Time Changes

by Serendipity (Kittykat748)



Category: Moonlight (TV)
Genre: Old Friendships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-06-30
Updated: 2011-06-30
Packaged: 2017-10-20 20:54:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/217000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kittykat748/pseuds/Serendipity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes, once you meet a person, you think you know everything about them. After 55 years apart, Josef sees an old friend again. But, time changes people a lot more than he ever realized.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Time Changes

That one old lady across the way kept staring. Why she continued to sit there, unmoving, confused Josef. He sat next to a magnificent fountain in the middle of the park. After nightfall, of course.

Her cold hard eyes completely distracted him from enjoying the little blond cutie next to him. Her warm breath carried with it the smell of one too many Apple Martinis.

"Josef, what do you keep staring at?!" the girl huffed.

He kept his eyes locked on the old woman's. "The woman across the track."

"Why?! She's soooo.....old! Look at her! Probably hasn't seen the sunlight in ages!"

He bolted up, on his feet now. Adjusting his collar, he walked briskly to the tiny park bench.

"Josef! JOSEF!!"

The older woman watched him make his way over to her. Staring down his nose at her, he looked into her eyes better. Deep blue with a fleck of light brown in one eye. _I've only seen that once before._

"May I join you, madame?" he sneered.

"Not if it'll kill ya, boy," she waved him away.

"Trust me, it probably won't."

After thinking it over, she shifted closer to the edge, with much difficulty. He grabbed her elbow and helped her back into her seat.

"Tank ya, kindly."

"No problem, madame."

"Cut the 'mah dame' crap. The name's Cheery."

His eyes widened. Moving only slightly, he grabbed her hand. She jolted and tried to pull away.

"Hey now, sonny!"

"Cheery, wait. Do you recognize me?"

She looked at him with those irregular eyes and her pupils dilated. Her heartbeat picked up.

"No, it can't be. You can't be him. He died so many years ago."

"Who did? Say the name, Cheery."

She choked back a sob. "Josef Konstantin. You look just like him."

He put his free hand on the small of her back. "Tell me about him."

"He was a wonderful man. Charming, even if a little vain. But, that was what I loved about him.

"Don't get me wrong, he was lovely. But, we were only friends. The greatest friend I could ever ask for. He saved my life."

"How?"

"Josef was always in the right place at the right time, if you can believe it. Now, keep in mind, this was before computer doo-hickies and cellular phones. All we had was the voices God gave us."

She cackled softly, leading to a coughing fit. He waited until she regained her composure.

"I wasn't always this old bat that you see before you. I was once quite the hottie. I performed in shows and sang my heart out. Josef came to one of my shows, later my last show."

"What happened, Cheery?"

"Hoo! You are quite hot in the britches.

"Well, I was just walking out to grab a cab, when this man tried to beat on me. He thought I was one of his little sugar-babies! Josef, always the charmer, you know, saw this and knocked his lights out!"

Josef panicked as Cheery's heartbeat started to slow.

"Yessir, he was a dearie. He later took me out to dinner and a show. He even offered to walk me home."

"How long did you know him?"

She yawned. "A few months after that. Then, we never saw each other again. Dearie, there's a blanket in my handbag. Would you mind tucking an old woman in for the night?"

"Certainly not. Where do you live?"

"No, no. ...too far... I'll stay....-ere."

He got up and gently rested her head where his body had been. Tucking her in just so, he looked into those eyes again.

"Cheery, would you believe me if I told you something unlikely."

"'Course, Sonny."

"I...am Josef Konstantin. And I remember you very well, darling Edna Daniels."

She smiled, although he didn't believe she had heard him. Adjusting his collar once again, he proceeded down the street to the nearest bank. He had a few unexpected deposits to make. _For one Cheery Daniels._


End file.
